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Yup, Michael Arndt was just confirmed as the writer for Episode VII! He's an Oscar-winning writer (who has written some great stuff) and a Star Wars expert. Very cool.

He has barely written anything that's been seen, he wrote Little Miss Sunshine (I have no comment as I haven't seen it) and then the screenplay to Toy Story 3 which was flat and lacking in nuance and emotion, and nothing else that's hit the screen yet. He's slated to be the writer on the next Hunger Games movie, the Phineas & Ferb movie, and an untitled Pixar movie, and he's one of many writers on a sci-fi film coming next year. But he has virtually nothing under his belt, I'm surprised they're giving him such an important task.

Originally Posted by El Chuxter

I've heard Brad Bird's name tossed around.

I would poop out rainbow-colored bricks of happiness if this comes to pass.

Brad Bird's only directed 1 live action film - Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol - but he did a surprisingly good job with it after the mediocrity of the 3rd film (the JJ Abrams-directed one) that was making up for the utter disastrous quality of the 2nd film (the John Woo-directed one).

Darth Vader is becoming the Mickey Mouse of Star Wars.

"In Brooklyn, a castle, is where dwell I"

The use of a lightsaber does not make one a Jedi, it is the ability to not use it.

"I was at Carrie Fishers booksigning in Cherry Hill, NJ on November 15, and the interview she did started with the question 'Are you really going to be in a new star wars movie?' and Carrie answered quietly 'Yes....I thought it was already common knowledge.' She did not elaborate, as she probably doesn't want to crow too loudly at this point in the project development. But this is the first confirmation from one of the main OT Cast. LFL has not said the cast would return yet."

Who knows if this story is any good, or if Carrie is 100% confirmed . . . still, very cool!

The Hollywood Reporter is saying that Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg have closed deals to write and/or produce Episode VIII and/or IX. Kasdan, of course, wrote the scripts for ESB, ROTJ, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, while Kinberg has written and produced a number of things that I haven't seen but range from well-regarded to eh, not so much. I thought we were barely into speculating about Episode VII, but already it's time to move on to VIII and IX, I guess.

I wonder if these individuals rest on their accolaydes or are still in touch with audiences.

Actually, I wonder how someone like Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy) or Shawn Ryan (The Shield), or Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) would do writing Star Wars? It's easier for a writer to break down the "almost R-Rated stuff" to a PG-13 level, than the reverse for a timid Star Trek TNG writer to write a story with passionately vengeful, driven characters who want to fight for something, altruistic or self-serving, with some kind of amazing drive.

Along those lines, I don't see the problem with hiring (not for the screenplay, but rather the story) some of the great Star Wars authors like James Luceno, Timothy Zhan, or Michael Stackpole - and for that matter A.C. Crispin or Jude Watson.

And finally, him actually being an awesome choice, there's Christopher Nolan, or his brother, who conceived how the new Batman story "Begins" (pun-intended for certain), if we are so short-sighted that we have to have an established "Hollywood name" at the helm. Just to say that "Joe who collects bottles in a shopping cart" wouldn't have a good idea if he didn't have anything else.

Of course, I want the Expanded Universe to be left intact, but there is a lot of room to write around the EU already in place, especially where Jaina Solo is around 30, (Jacen and Anakin are KIA), and Ben Skywalker is in his mid or early 20's, and Alanah Solo is pre-teen but certainly able to age into a mid-to-late-teenager during the next 3 films, as Ahsoka has done in the Clone Wars, making a "Hunger Games - Katniss character" out of Alanah Solo, and an Angolina Jolie character out of Jaina Solo, with a Harry Potter apprentice type for Ben Skywalker, and Harrison, Carrie, and Mark to train them all in the Han, Leia, and Luke roles.

Your other option is to re-cast Han, Leia, and Luke with other actors, and Carrie sitting in a rocking chair (hover chair) saying "I remember when..." and flashback to Angolina Jolie playing Leia in her 30's. Then Harrison (in his 60's) flashing back to Ryan Hayden Church playing Solo in his 40's....etc.

It would be logical that Han and Leia married and had children. "Super-Shadow" (for whatever he's worth) said Anakin Solo will be in the movie. *Sigh* He was a great character in the NJO books, but when he was killed, his mother (Leia) was in her 40's, and Sarah Palin would need to play Leia, because Carrie couldn't do it.

OR - actually have Anakin Solo and retcon NJO so he wasn't killed by the Yuuzhan Vong.

It's not quite as bad as having Grand Admiral Thrawn in the movie if only to become a back-up dancer for the Max Rebo Band.

BAD Pts Need:R5-C7 lf leg (x2), , R4-P44 right leg BAD Pts Offered For Trade: PM me - I have lots of parts now including BG-J38!. New Kyle Katarn is also available.